Spring Arrivals
Red Winged Blackbird "Redwing" amongst Bald Cypresses in spring |
Spring in the Carolinas comes well before the equinox. Some native or cultivated plants such as Jessermine, Redbud, and Japanese Cherries bloom as early as February. Honeybees, Carpenter Bees, Paper Wasps, and Sulphur Butterflies come out when every it is warm (i.e., about 10-15 Celsius or 50-60F) with ample sunlight. Finally, many birds begin singing, courtship, and even nesting in what would be considered midwinter. Spring Migration in our region can begin as early as Mid-February and typically ends in late May when most of the breeding birds are onsite and transients have come and gone. This document is a timetable and overview of how spring migration works in the Cape Fear Region and Southeastern North Carolina. The timings of arrivals and departures, as well as what species can be seen will differ slightly in South Carolina, Appalachia, the Northeast of Carolina (like the Outer Banks), etc.
Observations of Spring
Our meadow garden in late April 2016, Blue Flag Iris on left, Siberian Iris on Right |
For nearly a year since the pandemic began, I walked around Greenfield Lake in Wilmington NC two or three times of week to observe the wildlife, plant life, and environment for personal studies, and the collect data for a project at the university. I saw this park during the late winter (March 18th, 2020), with the trees bare, violets blooming in the woodlands, and azaleas starting to blossom, for an Azalea Festival that did not occur. From there, I saw the park and lakeshore through the spring, the Carolinian Summer, our long autumn, and through the dead of winter. Because of my life and my tendency to visit different parks, woodlands, and the seacoast, I have never gotten a chance to observe an area for an entire year with regular visits (excluding my own garden of course). At the time of writing this, Greenfield was at the start of another spring cycle.
Sounds of Spring: In the Southeast of North Carolina, I begin noticing birdsong around Christmastime. Resident Carolina Wrens, Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, and Pine Warblers sing before the winter solstice even arrives. Brown Thrashers, Mockingbirds, Song Sparrows, and even wintering Hermit Thrushes also sing on warmer days. The sound begins to pick up from late January through March with the early singers becoming more vocal, and other resident or even wintering birds adding to the chorus.
Each morning I open my window of my townhome's upstairs bedroom to hear the chorus and symphony, even if I still have jazz or classical music playing in my room (which I often do at night or while writing). From as early as five in the morning, I may hear the wrens giving their chants "Teacher Teacher Teacher" or "Teakettle Teakettle Teakettle" from the hedge or atop wall separating our dooryard from the common areas. Then I hear the beautiful whistling song of chickadees which have three to six syllables (some song sound like "Spring is Here"). After that, the Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Brown Thrashers, Chipping Sparrows, Pine Warblers, Starlings, and Eastern Bluebirds chime in, while sounds of Canada Geese, Ospreys, Bald Eagle, and Red Shouldered Hawks can be heard from the lake. A Barred Owl or Great Horned Owl may even sing during the chorus with the birds hardly concerned at all. As the season goes on, new voices are added to the chorus, with the Yellow Throated Warbler being among the first spring arrivals in Wilmington NC, followed shortly by the Parula, and preceded (by two-weeks) by the Gnatcatcher. Meanwhile winter residents like the Eastern Phoebes the lives in the neighborhood behind us, very loud Ruby Crowned Kinglet (for a bird only 9-10cm/3.5-4" in size) or White Throated Sparrow's singsongy whistle that is written as "Old Sam Peabody Peabody".
Visions of Spring: Late winter and spring is an exciting time to observe birds and wildlife as well. In my garden, it seemed like all of the birds came to life overnight sometime in Mid-February (like the 15th or 16th of February). Mockingbirds started chasing each other in the hedge and around the parking lots, Brown Thrashers sung loudly from treetops, and flocks of American Robins, Redwings, Grackles, Starlings, and Cowbirds flew high overhead in a northward. The wrens and chickadees are already looking for crevices, unattended objects, or tree holes to nest in, while the breeding pairs of Starlings returned from migration in Late February (with a noticeable gap between the massive wintering flocks of blackbirds, robins, starlings, and waxwings that descended on the hollies and cherry laurels in January).
At Greenfield Lake I saw massive flocks Canada Geese thin out as the birds paired off and males defended potental nest sites amongst hedges, coppices, or on treed islands near the lakes. On the third week of March (around the 20th of March), I came across a massive flock of martins and swallows circling over the lake. There were hundreds of birds (I entered 100+ on eBird) with most of them being Tree Swallows stopping for a drink and feed on swarms of midges as the head north. Groups of Purple Martins were mixed in, while I also looked for Sand Martins, Rough Winged Swallows, Barn Swallows, and Cliff Swallows, which often mix in with Tree Swallows. The massive swallow flocks was what I called the start of spring migration, and on the next day, I saw a mass of swallows over my townhome (sometimes flying just above the rooftops). Like at the lake, there were Tree Swallows, and Purple Martins, but I also confirmed my first Barn Swallow (about 1-2 weeks early), and possibly some Sand Martins or even a Chimney Swift. These observations came with other spring behaviors such as cardinals fighting over territories, Ospreys and Eagles doing courtship displays, and massive brawls between the resident Red Shouldered Hawks (and occasionally visiting Red Tailed Hawks) over feeding areas. Before long, the lakefront will be alive with activity again as spring migration kicks in. I can't wait until the Grey Catbirds, Orchard Orioles, Red Eyed Vireos, Mississippi Kites, and other summer residents arrive and for the Common Grackles and Redwing colonies to fill in the trees and marshes along the lakeshore.
Author Update: On the 22nd of March, 2020, I saw and photographed a Chimney Swift at Greenfield Lake that arrived two weeks earlier than expected. It was amongst a similar flock of swallows and martins.
About Spring Migration
Spring Migration is an exciting time for many birdwatchers and casual bird lovers, particularly those further north where most of the birds migrate south. In these regions the behaviors mentioned in the stories above, begin later in spring. The Carolinas are under a major migration corridor for songbirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey, although unlike the Autumn Migration Cycle most of the traffic is funnelled along the Appalachian Mountains in Western NC, SC, and into Tennessee. Along the Carolina Coast, Spring Migration is mediocre with most of the traffic consisting of widespread species heading north, or inbound breeding species. We miss out on all of the warblers, vireos, and other songbirds as they move through the highlands, and most hawks also travel inland. While Spring Migration is disappointing in the Cape Fear Region, it is not without its joys. Almost every species of bird that passes through a garden or woodland is singing, we wait eagerly for our favorite summer residents to return, and savor every moment we can with our beloved winter residents before they leave us. At the sea, and along the river systems, things are a bit more exciting, as most shorebirds, seabirds, and water birds travel along our coast. Huge flocks of plovers and sandpipers descend on beaches and mudflats with contain dozens of species. Seagulls, terns, loons, and even seafaring species like Shearwaters fly along our beaches. Wading birds like ibis gather at their nest sites to breed, like the Ibis on the island near Southport NC. Spring Migration is a rather long period for us as it begins in late February when Gnatcatchers and Purple Martins come through, and continues through Mid-May when birds like Orchard Orioles, Kites, and Grey Catbirds are on site, and the last of our winter birds have left.
Hint: Songbirds often gather around trees that are leafing out or blossoming, so you may see waves of migrants as the canopy fills in. For example Oaks, Elms, and Maples leaf in early, while Hickories and Baldcypress are later.
Arrivals
Black and White Warblers arrive well before other spring breeders as they forage on trunks |
Black and White Warbler: Often in January, though some birds overwinter too
Blue Grey Gnatcatcher: Can arrive as early as second week of February
Purple Martin: Often the second week of February
Common Starling: Second week of February (breeding males)
Laughing Gull: Final week of February or first week of March (some overwinter)
Common Yellowthroat: First week of March (some ovewinter)
Redwing (Red Winged Blackbird): First or second week of March (breeding males)
Ruby Throated Hummingbird: Second week of March (many overwinter)
Yellow Throated Warbler: Usually around the second week of March (some overwinter as well)
Parula: Second or third week of March
Common Grackle: Third week of March (breeding population)
American Robin: Third week of March (summer population)
White Eyed Vireo: Third or fourth week of March (some overwinter)
Prairie Warbler: Third or fourth week of March
Whippoorwill: Third or fourth week of March
Barn Swallow/Cliff Swallow: Fourth week of March or first week of April
Yellow Throated Vireo: Fourth week of March or first week of April
Least Tern: First week of April
Brown Headed Cowbird: First week of April (breeders)
Sand Martin/Rough Winged Swallow: First week of April
Protonotary Warbler: First week of April
Red Eyed Vireo: First week of April
Wood Pewee: First week of April
Ovenbird: First or second week of April
Acadian Flycatcher: First or second week of April
Crested Flycatcher: First or second week of April
Chimney Swift: Second week of April
Indigo Bunting: Second week of April
Painted Bunting: Second week of April (many overwinter)
Wood Thrush: Second week of April
Black Skimmer: Third week of April
Grey Catbird: Third week of April (some overwinter)
Summer Tanager: Third or fourth week of April (some overwinter)
Yellow Billed Cuckoo: Fourth week of April
Common Nighthawk: Fourth week of April
Chuck-Wills-Widow: Fourth week of April, first week of May
Blue Grosbeak: Fourth week of April, first week of May
Orchard Oriole: First week of May
Green Heron: First week of May
Departures
Common Flickers are primarily winter residents in Southeastern NC |
Wintering Egrets and Herons: Late February
Most Waterfowl: Early March
Fox Sparrows: Often Early March
Wintering Robins: Mid-Late March for wintering birds
Mallard: Mid-Late March
Treecreeper: Mid-March
Purple Finch: Late March
Rusty Blackbird: Late March
Orange-Crowned Warbler: Late March
House Wren and Winter Wren: Late March or Early April
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker: First week of April
Golden Crowned Kinglet: First or second week of April
Palm Warbler: First or second week of April
Junco: Second week of April
Eastern Phoebe: Second week of April
Common Flicker: Second week of April
Hermit Thrush: Second or third week of April
Baltimore Oriole: Third week of April (some may stay all summer)
White Throated/Crowned Sparrows: Fourth week of April or first week of May
Song Sparrow: Early May (though some could linger)
Chipping Sparrow: First week of May (breeders remain in pinewoods and open areas)
Ruby Crowned Kinglet: First week of May
Myrtle Warbler (Yellow Rumped Warbler): First or second week of May
American Goldfinch and Siskin: First or Second week of May (some linger into summer)
Cedar Waxwing: As late as early June (some linger into summer)
Migrants
A shot of a Rose Breasted Grosbeak in our back garden in April 2016,. This is one of the latest birds to pass through New Hanover County during spring migration. |
Louisiana Waterthrush: Mid-March to Mid-April
Black Throated Green Warbler: Mid-March to Mid-April
Northern Waterthrush: Late March to Mid-April
Yellow Warbler: Late-March to Mid-April
American Redstart: April to May
House Wren: April to May
Scarlet Tanager: April to May
Veery Thrush: April to May
Rose Breasted Grosbeak Late April to Late May
Blackburnian Warbler: May to June
Blackpoll Warbler: May to June